Do you use a harness if your dog doesn’t pull?

[Ellybellyboo]

We had a harness to begin with but she learnt to walk nicely on a lead really quickly. It was always a total mission to get the bloody thing on her so we eventually stopped using it and just walk her on a collar and lead

A few months ago I bought her some snazzy collars and matching leads

On Sunday we went out for lunch at our local pub and I thought I’d put one of her snazzy new collars and leads on

Took dog out for a wee after we’d eaten and she’s happily sniffing away when a woman comes out of the pub and starts giving me an absolute mouthful about how my dog should be wearing a harness, I’m sacrificing her health for fashion, I’m risking neck injuries, etc, etc.

Like I say, she doesn’t pull on a lead, she walks nicely with a loose lead so I don’t really see a problem

Thanks all!

She got walking on a lead nicely really quickly. We didn’t really do much - just stopped walking as soon as she pulled and rewarded with lots of high value treats

Our old boy was also a springer and never really got it. I swear I still have one arm longer than the other nearly 2 years after we lost him.

He was proper bonkers, pretty much until the day he died. We joke that we’ve got a dud one as she’s so calm and chilled

Recall is an entirely different matter though. We’re fortunate at work as we have a secure field so I can let her off in there for a run

*harnesses are for sled dogs and the poorly trained
Is this seriously what people think? *

No, not really but it's what I would say if some randomer interrupted my nice pub lunch to lecture me.

My now 5 year old Lab boy does not pull as had to train from a puppy as risk he pull me out if it chair as got bigger

I use slip lead as easier get on and off due to disabilities
If tell him lead on when out he walks and sticks his head into the loop

We use a harness, it seems much more comfortable for our dog but he doesn’t pull and is tiny (chihuahua) so he just toddles along beside us and barely stretched the lead. But I hate the thought of having something attached to his neck. At least with a harness if he does pull the weight of the pull is distributed over his chest area than just in his neck.

SexlessBoulderBelly we have chihuahuas too, and they are walked with harnesses on the advice of our vet.
I do think it looks hilarious though....really small dogs with K9 Julius harness on!

@fabellini oh good so we’re doing the right thing!

I often buy novelty harness for my own satisfaction.. my favourite one at the moment has a polka dot bow tie on the front.. poor dog deserves a better owner 😂

Mine has his lead on his collar mostly as he walks fine like that but pulls if it’s on his harness. Always wears a harness though as it has a handle on it and I can grab him easily if necessary. That lady needs to wind her neck in and mind her own business though!

Our Ddog is medium sized. We use a collar and lead. When he was a pup we used a harness to stop him hurting his neck when pulling.

Slip leads here, but they're not on them much.

The younger one's heel is almost better off-lead than on.

My dog doesnt pull on the lead, but she does have a bit of a pinhead, so she can slip her collar. This has happened a few times. She has panicked at the sound of a bus or similar, sat down in road and then slipped her collar. Very frightening.
Now i have a nice harness for her and its a lot more secure

Yes because my Welsh springer had a paralysed larynx and cannot have any pressure on his throat.

I use a fabric slip lead for my working cocker because she doesn’t use a collar. I know that is illegal (?) but after watching the Welshie suffering it has freaked me out. She doesn’t pull and is only a lead to get to the field or in the car. Her recall is bullet-proof. The Welshie’s is not, so he’s harnessed.

Our dog hates his harness but it’s safer than having him back out of his collar on the side of a main road. He pulls the same whether wearing a collar or a harness.

Some people use a harness because they can't train their dog to walk well on a lead - in those cases it can be better.
I use a collar & lead.